Ophelia
by Keiko86chan
Summary: Javert had already made his decision. He closed his eyes briefly murmuring in his head a prayer (even if he knew that for him there wouldn't be a place in Heaven after the act) and slipped off the bridge without a sound, resigned. "Javert! NO!" That scream suddenly made him open his eyes shooting, just a moment before touching the surface of the Seine.
1. Prologue - Down in the Deep Blue

Chapter 01. Prologue - Down in the Deep Blue

It was now a few minutes since the Inspector Javert stood staring at the dark wooden door behind which had disappeared just before 24601, no, Valjean, his personal nemesis, the fugitive, the saint ... The man whose capture had become his lifetime goal.

Javert had encountered him a little more than an hour earlier, at the exit of the sewers, covered in mud (and something else, judging by the sickening stench that his body emanated) carrying on his shoulders the seemingly lifeless body of one of those kids of the barricade; there the man had begged the inspector to leave just another hour of freedom to him for a chance to rescue the wounded boy, to find him a doctor or other assistance.

He surprised himself to accept Valjean's heartfelt request without many problems, even (incredibly enough) he had helped the ex con, calling a cab passing there and accompanying him to the home of the boy's grandfather, where he had been left in the care of servants ,and then escort him to his quarters, in Rue de l'Homme Armée no. 7.

Here he had allowed the older man to enter, to attend the last formalities pending and (probably) to say goodbye to his adopted daughter, saying that he would wait outside, to arrest him officially.

With every passing minute, however, his conviction to what the law, and his own moral, required him to do was crumbling like sand: how could he stop now Valjean? If he had placed the dilemma just a day before, he would certainly laugh; arresting finally, after all these years, that thug was his DUTY, and would certainly have also brought a good deal of personal pleasure!

But now ...?

In just a few hours that day, his beliefs and certainties were finished upside down: he had witnessed acts of courage of that man, who arrived at the barricade with the specific aim of saving at any cost, and succeeding, the life of the beloved of his young daughter with no regard for his own safety; furthermore he reluctantly also found to have to the former criminal even a life debt, because Valjean after having requested and obtained permission to execute him personally to be a spy, had instead permitted him to escape through a hidden area of the barricade, without asking nothing in return from the inspector and indeed, covering even the flight with a shot in the air.

As he was so brooding, a slight noise roused him from his thoughts, making him look up: at the window of the first floor, lit by the dim light of a candle, appeared the unmistakable profile of Jean Valjean, apparently busy tinkering with something on a shelf in front of him. Javert found himself staring at the other man dazed for a moment, then as if he had been slapped, he spun on his heels and walked away almost running from the house, his face contorted in a painful grimace.

Those who had seen him at that time, would have struggled just to recognize in that curled and tormented figure the austere and irreproachable Inspector Javert, that with a pale face walked along dreamily, almost haphazardly directed towards the banks of the Seine.

Javert not noticed, however, that with its rapid movement he made a rather loud scraping noise by his foot on the pavement, and that at the ajar window Jean Valjean, surprised, raised his gaze and noted with concern the sudden departure of the policeman.

For a moment he dismissed the scene answering himself that probably Javert was going to call for reinforcements, but then he observed better the other man and noticed the strange way in which he moved, shoulders down and broken up steps, almost as if he was running away.

He asked himself why.

He stood at the window to observe the figure in rapid removal of the inspector for a while, then with no particular reason he felt invaded by a sudden sense of alarm, like a punch in the stomach that made him almost doubled over. He raised his eyes again towards Javert, now almost disappeared down the street.

"I must be crazy ..." He muttered to himself, before quickly racing down the stairs in pursuit of the man who was supposed to arrest him.

Meanwhile Javert found himself crossing a bridge over the Seine, and lost in thought stopped himself about halfway, leaning his elbows on the stone parapet, sighing and closing his blue/gray eyes for a moment. What he should do now? How could he handle that dilemma? With a shudder he huddled on himself, slamming his forehead and his fists on the parapet, in a sudden gesture of anger and despair.

"What should I do?!" He exclaimed in a choked voice.

He raised his face to the sky, as if to ask for advice to the stars, but found himself staring only to a dark and cold void... His eyes widened as a shock, and seemed to him to have received the answer on what was to be his solution.

Stifling a gasp of fear and putting down his hat at his side, he climbed over the stone wall, finding himself sitting on it with his legs hanging over the dark and noisy waters of the Seine, his tarnished look staring at everything and nothing at the same time.

Jean Valjean for a while had lost sight of the inspector, and he feared that he could not reach it. He started running without bothering to do more or less noise with his feet on the pavement to avoid being noticed, and finally sighed with a relief that surprised even himself at the sight of Javert stopped on a bridge.

Approaching to him, he then realized immediately that something was wrong: the other man in fact was not only stood leaning against the parapet, but he was strangely sitting above it, remaining dangerously poised just above the deepest part of the river.

He wondered briefly what the inspector was doing, but approaching he noticed the restless expression of Javert, his knuckles resting narrow his hips ... Overall the desolate air that all his figure emanated. He then made a more handful of steps, cautious.

Javert then seemed to be collected from his thoughts, jerked his chin for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, then he let himself simply fall forward.

Valjean's eyes widened and he runs immediately to the bank of the river, reaching it in a couple of strides and without even realizing the cry that automatically escaped from his lips. He heard the noise of the body that collided with water, then, with his heart pounding in his ears furiously, he lunged also among the current.

Javert had already made his decision. He closed his eyes briefly murmuring in his head a prayer (even if he knew that for him there wouldn't be a place in Heaven after the act) and slipped off the bridge without a sound, resigned.

"Javert! NO!"

That scream suddenly made him open his eyes shooting, just a moment before touching the surface of the Seine.

The violent dip in the chilling river did leak from him out immediately all the air that he held inside the lungs, leaving him breathless to squirm while the dark waters closed again above him, shoved in a corner of his first instinct to reach the surface at all costs while his hands feverishly went to tighten the neck, trying to keep himself from trying to breathe and swallow so the water.

Vain attempt.

While the cold and brackish water filled his lungs and stung his eyes, he found himself thinking vaguely that he did not expect to die that way, in fact, he hoped to beat maybe some rocks with his head and lose consciousness immediately...

Oh, and it was ironic that even now, at the end of his life, the ghost of Jean Valjean appeared before him, hand outstretched toward him as if to give him eternal salvation. He allowed himself a small smile before everything became black, finally.

Valjean had not thought twice about resolutely confront the murky waters of the Seine, plunging blindly and stretching his hands trying to find the inspector disappeared beneath them.

Finally after a few frantic minutes he believed to glimpse Javert's form and taking a breath he disappeared too, swimming fast in that direction, extending an arm and grabbing with a grip of steel a flap of the sleeve of Javert, and then returning up to the surface immediately.

Resurfaced with a hoarse breath, he pulled the limp body of the policeman upward too, turning to look at him worried; when the other man did not react at all, keeping his eyes closed and gently bowing his head back against Valjean's arm, the older man prayed in his heart hoping that he was only unconscious and trudged with difficulty swimming to the shore trying to keep the Inspector's head out of the water.

Finally he managed to reach the shore, and with a great effort he rolled Javert outside the river, then he dragged himself close to him with a groan.

For a moment he found himself prone on the ground gasping and trying to regain his breath, but then he shook himself rising to his knees beside the body lying of the inspector; noticing that he was not breathing, but simply laying motionless on the sand, while his lips were acquiring a worrying bluish color.

"Don't you dare to die now!" He shouted, starting to push Javert's ribcage trying to revive him, his eyes wild "Do not even try! Damn!"

It had passed few more minutes, and Valjean was about to enter into a panic, but just in that moment Javert shook suddenly, raising his head and spitting a large amount of water, gasping and coughing violently, then sink back again groaning and losing again immediately senses.

Valjean, still kneeling, found himself staring slightly lifted the man on the ground beside him, now that he had finally started to breathe on his own, although a little hoarse.

He noticed then the conditions in which both were: wet as chicks to the core, Javert with his hair slightly loose and scattered on the ground, himself without a shoe and with his shirt torn... He wondered what he should do now to solve the situation.

For a while, the only sound besides the quiet lapping of the river was the intersection of their gasps.

END CHAPTER ONE


	2. Chapter 01 - Empathy

Second chapter of this little FF.  
In which Javert is more and more confused and Valjean is bittersweet as usual.  
Hope you'll like it! ^w^

Jean Valjean stood still huddled alongside the inspector passed out. Thoughfully he started squeezing his hair falling in wet curls over his eyes, clearing a little his hoarse voice and then coughed slightly.

He realized that it was impossible to stay much more on the muddy bank of the river, they were both soaking wet and the forwarded night air now wasn't certainly hot, indeed! He would have preferred that the other man had recovered before any act, so he may (or at least try to) confront him, trying to understand why of his desperate gesture... But it was not really possible, for the moment.

He sighed, getting up and grabbing firmly Javert under his shoulders and knees and began to trudge slowly and climbing out of the side of the river, to return on the road again.

To stop a cab wasn't even an idea, anybody would stop after seeing the condition in which they both had put their clothes, they would be mistaken for beggars...

So he resigned himself to carry the inspector by his arms, walking back toward his house.

He arrived a little more than half way, when finally Javert gave a sign to start to waking up, because he began to move slightly, crouching a little more against the chest of the former thief, sighing a little, maybe trying to find a bit of residual heat.

Surprised by that spontaneous gesture, Valjean looked down and found himself staring at a pair of gray eyes clouded and confused.

When Javert returned in itself, the first thing he noticed was that he couldn't move his legs. Then that he was really cold, but there was something beside him who gave off a pleasant warmth, and instinctively he tried to squeeze more towards the unexpected but welcome heat source.

One moment.

It was a heart beat that he heard in the ear?

In a second the confusion that reigned in his head disappeared, invaded by the memory of all that had happened in that nightmare day.

The barricades.

His imprisonment, and Jean Valjean.

His enemy who spared his life.

The sewers.

The dilemma.

The despair.

The river...

THE RIVER!

The water in his lungs.

The vision of Valjean who seized him.

The darkness.

Snapping open his eyes, now well aware of being alive, and, judging by the frantic breaths he was taking in that time of agitation, clearly out of the water.

His attention was caught then by the slight shaking of an hand that was supporting his back, then his sight follow the arm and raising his head he looked upon himself at the face of Jean Valjean, apparently drenched, with dripping hair and brown eyes tired but bright.

\- V-Valjean? - It was the faint hiss that the ex convict felt told to him by the inspector, who was staring at him with an exhaust look, still resting his cheek against Valjean's chest, his eyes wide like a deer illuminated by a lighthouse.

\- Inspector? Are you better? - He asked quietly, giving to him a good-natured smile, although slightly apologetic... After all, at that time he was carrying the policeman holding him in his arms like a child, so he also imagined that, despite all its good intentions, this in itself could be almost an insult for the another, or at least something terribly embarrassing ...

\- I... Uh... What...? - The confirmation came when Javert seemed to finally realize his position, and blushed up to his ears, looking down. - Damn, what are you doing ?! is possible that even when I wanted the death, you came back again to interfere, 24601? - He exclaimed loud, perhaps with a too much aggressive tone, due from being tripped immediately on the defensive.

After these caustic words all the conciliatory expression of Valjean dissolved, and he turned a hard and accusatory look to the inspector, squinting and interrupting his steps immediately, stopping on the road.

\- Now, Inspector. I don't know what idea you have of me, but I'm not personally believe to be the kind of man who seeing someone jump off a bridge can remains impassive and doing nothing ... - He sighed heavily, then continue bitterly - What am I saying? Obviously you think this sbout me. You have always considered me nothing more than a criminal... I am sorry, but now I don't think there is anything I can do to convince you otherwise, even save your life. -

Javert after hearing those words felt himself sinking. Yes, his opinion had always been "Once criminal, always a criminal", but now, after all that the other man had done, after the profound shock that had pushed him even to want to end his life... It was aware of how he himself, because of his prejudices, had done nothing but ruin the life to that man ... And who knows how many others ... He was again invaded by a sense of deep shame, despair... Unable now to continue to hold that weight all he could do was simply to hide his face against the wet edges of Valjean's shirt, stifling a sigh that seemed almost a sob.

By himself, Valjean had addressed that way hard to the policeman because of a wave of anger and frustration that overwhelmed him, when hearing to be called again 24601.

Regretted it almost immediately, he realized that the other man was not completely stable (he had just tried to commit suicide after all) and judging from the start that was caused, he hurted him more than he intended.

However, he was surprised by the next action of Javert, he expected to get maybe a sharp response, or being hit by a fist, or perhaps that the other does not speak more... He never could imagine that the inspector simply hidden his face against him, sobbing silently, shaken by tremors.

\- Inspector...? I... I'm sorry, I should not say it!

\- No... No! You are right. Heck, you have every reason in the world! - It was the muffled reply that the other gave him, then he raise his head to him, but without meeting his gaze - I'm sorry, with my foolish obstinacy I have not done anything but ruin your life for all these years... You should have let me drown, Valjean... It would have been better for both of us: you would have been again a free man, and I, though so coward, I could escape this remorse that grips my chest... - He sighed bitterly, his voice hoarse and broken by sobs - Even though this grip is so strong that I think, and I hope, it alone can cut my breath and give me the oblivion that I so yearn! - He concluded, always avoiding the eyes of the former convict, unaware of that silent sparkling rivulets streaming down from his cheeks slightly flushed.

Valjean was left dumbfounded, a person though, blameless and proud what was Javert... That now was literally falling apart in his arms, crying ... Not knowing what to do in that situation, and fearing to offend the other man, he simply preferred to try to calm him down by lightly rubbing his back with his hand, whispering some nonsense comfort words.

For few minutes Javert continued to cry without a single sound, covering his face with his hands to try to hide, embarrassed. Then finally he seemed to calm down, turning back to Valjean with swollen and bloodshot eyes.

\- I beg you, Monsieur. I do not deserve your generosity, nor your forgiveness. Let me here and do not proceed... I will disappear from your life, and you would not have more to fear, I swear that for no more time you will have to look at your behind fearing the Inspector Javert! I swear...

\- And how? Do you want to resign? Change jurisdiction? - A that acute question the Inspector averted his eyes again, blushing - No... You would try again to take away your life, isn't it?

Silence.

\- That's what I thought.

Javert, listen, I understand that now you feel guilty and you want to atone in some way, but I can't and I will not let you off so you can throw away your life! There will surely be another solution!

\- I-I... But you... Why? - Churches the other man brokenly. Valjean replied only with a conciliatory smile, bringing Javert to sigh in resignation, knowing that the other man would not have really abandoned him there, even if he forced to.

\- Solution, you said ... What s-solution you mean?

\- I still do not know ... - replied the ex-convict, smiling, and then he saw how the tremors of the policeman in his arms had intensified a lot. Initially he had dismissed it as a result of the internal conflict of the other man, only now he seemed to remember that both were completely wet and noticed that he himself was shivering. He cleared his throat slightly.

\- Ah! But you're trembling, Inspector! I would say to keep the issue when we are both warm and dry. I will accompany you to my house, no longer remained a long way, shall we?

Javert did not answer, but simply put back his head against Valjean's chest drifting in his arm. He said to himself that it was just because the risk that his knees did not hold him, but in his heart he knew that he was especially looking for some comfort in that kind of embrace.

If Valjean noticed this, wisely chose to not comment.


End file.
